Cable guards are utilized in compound archery bows when the cables and bow strings are too closely spaced laterally to permit the free passage of an arrow. U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,222 discloses a cable guard including a cable retaining member which is rotatably and slidably mounted on a round rod. The retaining member has two bores therein which slidably receive the cables to hold them in laterally spaced relationship with the bowstring.
When the bow is being drawn, the two cables in the bores are urged in opposite direction with each cable rubbing against its respective bore. The undesirable contact of the moving cable with the bores creates frictional forces on the cable and attendant cable wear. In addition, the bores in the retaining member and the cables therein are located in a plane that is parallel to the plane of the bowstring. During draw, the cables move in opposite vertical directions with respect to each other, and because the cables are in the same plane, they have a tendency to rub against each other again producing undesirable frictional forces and cable wear.
Further, the lateral opening in the retaining member which slidably receives the round rod is circular and therefore permits only limited movement of the retaining member with respect to the rod. It is desirable, however, that there be some play between the retaining member and the rod so that the retaining member does not urge the cables into a stressed position.